This is intimidation, pure and simple. Fundamental legal protections have been swept away in the “war on terror”—whose putative purpose was to go after scary bearded men living in caves—and the state is now going after citizens who speak out against government corruption. When will they come knocking on “Government Against the People”‘s door? When will they come knocking on your door?

A local blogger who was critical of Rep. Billy Long during last year’s congressional campaign has been interviewed by the FBI about his encounters with the congressman.

Clay Bowler, who lives in Christian County, says he was shocked to find an agent from the Federal Bureau of Investigation at his doorstep. Accompanying the agent was Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott.

The agent asked Bowler if he was a threat to Long, a notion Bowler finds laughable.

“I’m not a threat to Billy Long,” Bowler said Thursday. “I find the whole thought very funny, because I’m such an advocate for constitutional rights that I would never do anything that would put in jeopardy those constitutional rights like the Second Amendment.”

Say what you will about Fox News: Megyn Kelly does a good job here of getting Sheriff Dupnik to admit that there is, as yet, no factual basis for his claim that extreme political rhetoric motivated Jared Loughner. We are in the midst of a frenzy in which advocates of various causes are using this tragic event to advance their agendas. Most alarming, perhaps, is the claim being made by some that speech itself is to blame and must be curtailed.

The definition of “terrorism” continues to broaden as a means harassing and silencing anyone who speaks out against the interests that own and control our governments. We are rapidly approaching the day when anyone who speaks out against these interests will be arrested and indefinitely imprisoned without charges. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

Ruffalo attracted the attention of Pennsylvania’s Office of Homeland Security when he organised screenings for Gasland, which won the special jury prize at this year’s Sundance film festival, and said he was concerned about the impact of drilling on water supplies. The actor has addressed the subject in the latest edition of American GQ.

How did we ever get to the place where we grant any kind of legitimacy to something called a “free speech zone”?

St. Edward’s University students are petitioning the Student Government Association to pass legislation to create a free speech zone on campus.

A free speech zone is a specified place on campus where students may voice their opinions without interference from their universities.

Junior Nicole Seligman, co-leader of the on-campus feminist group Women Empowerment, said the idea to send the letters came from various students concerned about St. Edward’s voice speaking over their own, especially after the university rejected gay rights group Equality Texas from its nonprofit fair because its position on gay marriage conflicted with Catholic teachings.

“I think after disagreements between student groups and Campus Ministry, the university assumes that the students don’t care enough to speak out for change,” Seligman said.

Seligman and other Women Empowerment members distributed letters during a meeting on Sept.. 23 so that members could sign and send them to their SGA senators. The letters request that SGA work to establish a free speech zone on campus. Seligman said that the letters are now being distributed to students at random.

Some administrators of public universities have restricted protests to free speech zones, believing that they prevent the protests from interfering with the daily functions of the university, according to the First Amendment Center’s website.

But students have not always been satisfied that the zones provide a strong enough protection of freedom of speech.